Supercommittee Fails to Meet $1.5 Trillion in Budget Cuts, AAFP Dismayed and Continues Its Call for Stable Payments to Physicians and a Positive Primary Care Differential

“The joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has dropped the ball by failing to agree on federal budget cuts demanded by the Budget Reduction Act of 2011.

“In doing so, they have also condemned millions of elderly and disabled Americans to continued health insecurity. Their inaction allows the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) that determines Medicare physician payment to continue in effect. It paves the way for a 27.4 percent reduction in Medicare physician payment to take effect on Jan. 1, 2012, if Congress does not act on a separate bill. Worse, it triggers a mandatory, additional 2 percent reduction in 2013.

“Congress must act swiftly to prevent the pending 27.4 percent cut. It must repeal the SGR formula, stabilize Medicare payment with a five-year Medicare payment schedule, and implement a payment system that values quality of care over quantity of care. Without a comprehensive approach, Congress merely continues a cycle of threats to physician practices’ financial viability, last-minute reprieves, and continued procrastination.

“This is no way to address the federal budget deficit. Nor is it the way to serve their constituents. Allowing the Medicare physician payment issue to fester worsens the health insecurity of millions of elderly patients and military families.

“At some point, Congress must face up to its responsibility to its constituents. That time is now.”

Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 115,900 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Approximately one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is nearly 214 million office visits each year — nearly 74 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.FamilyDoctor.org(www.familydoctor.org).